Fostering is such an awarding experience. I used to foster small dogs... 20-30 pounds. I've thought of fostering a small boxer. I worry about dog fights and not being able to split them. I never had a fight while fostering but smaller dogs seem easier to grab. How long do your fosters usually stay with you? Maybe I can look at doing this while I wait for my pup. I wouldn't be able to start until march. I'd love to hear about your experiences though.

This will only be our 2nd foster. Our first foster was only with us 2 1/2 weeks but it sounds like the average amount of time is about 3-4 months. The rescue we are working with needs fosters all the time. They are willing to work with you & place you with a dog the works with your family. If you can only take 1 or two fosters a year...fine. Whatever you are able to do. If, for any reason at all the foster dog is not working out, they will take him/her back & if you're ready for another one, they'll find one for you. For us, we filled out the application to foster, they checked our references & called our vet. They called me in about a week and did a kind of phone interview to get details on our home environment & personalities of our dogs, then called us when they found a match. Our first foster was PERFECT! We loved him!

This will only be our 2nd foster. Our first foster was only with us 2 1/2 weeks but it sounds like the average amount of time is about 3-4 months. The rescue we are working with needs fosters all the time. They are willing to work with you & place you with a dog the works with your family. If you can only take 1 or two fosters a year...fine. Whatever you are able to do. If, for any reason at all the foster dog is not working out, they will take him/her back & if you're ready for another one, they'll find one for you. For us, we filled out the application to foster, they checked our references & called our vet. They called me in about a week and did a kind of phone interview to get details on our home environment & personalities of our dogs, then called us when they found a match. Our first foster was PERFECT! We loved him!

That's great! I'm going to contact boxer rescue in Ontario to find out more. How do they pick up the dog if it's not a good fit? Where do they put it? My sister fostered a dog for probably a year or so. She got really aggressive and the rescue sent her on seminars for aggression but there was no one else to take her. My sister couldn't bring groceries in the house and then put them away because she would guard them to the point they couldnt get near. She learned to work around the dog and other than being aggressive she was great. My sister really had her trained but men couldn't go near her so she had to walk her on her own to try socialize her. She would go sit in crowded areas but away from people just to get her ok around crowds. Whatever happened to her they couldn't help. She growled at my nephew a few times and the rescue decided she had to be put down. It was so sad. She just wasn't adoptable and my sister couldn't keep her as her kids were young and they could never have friends over. She just couldn't trust her. Once her bio said no kids or men people stopped inquiring. It was really a bad and sad situation but it's also made me a little nervous to foster bigger dogs. Aggression frightens me. I can work with anything else. I just dont want my dogs attacked or me... Some people are great with dealing with it. Maybe one day but for now I just want to help a dog and people friendly dog... Thanks!

That's great! I'm going to contact boxer rescue in Ontario to find out more. How do they pick up the dog if it's not a good fit? Where do they put it? My sister fostered a dog for probably a year or so. She got really aggressive and the rescue sent her on seminars for aggression but there was no one else to take her. My sister couldn't bring groceries in the house and then put them away because she would guard them to the point they couldnt get near. She learned to work around the dog and other than being aggressive she was great. My sister really had her trained but men couldn't go near her so she had to walk her on her own to try socialize her. She would go sit in crowded areas but away from people just to get her ok around crowds. Whatever happened to her they couldn't help. She growled at my nephew a few times and the rescue decided she had to be put down. It was so sad. She just wasn't adoptable and my sister couldn't keep her as her kids were young and they could never have friends over. She just couldn't trust her. Once her bio said no kids or men people stopped inquiring. It was really a bad and sad situation but it's also made me a little nervous to foster bigger dogs. Aggression frightens me. I can work with anything else. I just dont want my dogs attacked or me... Some people are great with dealing with it. Maybe one day but for now I just want to help a dog and people friendly dog... Thanks!

On the app I filled out, it asked if there was anything I was not willing to work on with a foster dog. My answer was aggression. With 2 little boys & 2 little old Cockers, I cannot & will not take chances.
Unfortunately, if a foster dog is not working out with us & there are no more fosters available, it goes into boarding. They will arrange for transportation of the dog back to their boarding facility. That being said, I would definitely ask all of those questions before you take a dog in and resource guarding is apparently very common in rescued dogs. Another good thing about our local rescue is that they are willing to provide you with a trainer if you need it. I couldn't imagine having an aggressive dog in my home. So sorry your sister had to go through that!!!

On the app I filled out, it asked if there was anything I was not willing to work on with a foster dog. My answer was aggression. With 2 little boys & 2 little old Cockers, I cannot & will not take chances.
Unfortunately, if a foster dog is not working out with us & there are no more fosters available, it goes into boarding. They will arrange for transportation of the dog back to their boarding facility. That being said, I would definitely ask all of those questions before you take a dog in and resource guarding is apparently very common in rescued dogs. Another good thing about our local rescue is that they are willing to provide you with a trainer if you need it. I couldn't imagine having an aggressive dog in my home. So sorry your sister had to go through that!!!

One of my rescues had resource guarding on things he stole. If you gave it to him you could take it but if he stole it forget it. I handled it by trading with something better. Again he was 20 pounds. Once I lured him I was able to get what he had with a broom before he realized. Sometimes he wouldn't leave what he had until he inspected what I had. Either he got better or I just learned not to have anything he could want where he could get it. It is scary. I had cherry eye surgery done in both his eyes and the vet told me not to worry about his eye drops. There was no way he was going to let me give them to him. I loved him dearly but my dogs couldn't have bones laying around. Treats we're something that had to be eaten right away. He never stole from the others though. I'm actually looking forward to fostering now! I need to wait for my course to finish though so I have the time.